Murder case against Kimberly Thompson moves forward

By D.C. Witness Staff - July 12, 2016
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

The murder case against Kimberly Thompson, 58, moved forward Tuesday when Judge Lynn Leibovitz scheduled a felony status conference for September.

Thompson has been charged with Charles Mayo’s murder last December. According to Thompson’s attorney, Mary Kennedy, Thompson has not created “any issues” during his time in jail, where he has been held since his arrest. She also said the investigation into Thompson’s alleged role in Mayo’s death is ongoing, so there was little to report on Tuesday morning.

The defense moved to set a felony status conference before Oct. 5, to avoid Thompson’s nine-month indictment deadline. The arraignment is set for Sept. 22 but may change due to scheduling conflicts for the prosecution and defense. Prosecutor Christine Maley said that the government may not be able to make that date.

According to the arrest affidavit filed for Thompson’s arrest, police found Mayo suffering from multiple gunshot wounds behind 1936 Bennett Pl., NE, in the afternoon of Dec. 10, 2015.

When an officer asked Mayo if he knew who shot him, Mayo nodded his head, said “I can’t breathe,” and pointed toward 19th Street, NE.

Mayo was taken to a local hospital and succumbed to his injuries a week later on Dec. 17, 2015.

Police found two 9mm casings and nine “5.7×28 casings” within close proximity of the scene of the crime.

Multiple witnesses came forward after the shooting and gave the MPD a description of the shooter. Police later found Thompson, who matched the description, in the 700 block of 19th Street.

Surveillance footage from across 1830 Benning Road shows a silver vehicle approach Mayo at the intersection of 19th Street and Bennett Place. Mayo ran away shortly after, twisting and turning as though he was shot, according to the affidavit. Several other people can be seen running away from the scene of the crime as well.

One witness described the scene from the surveillance footage very similarly, but also told police he saw Thompson exit the silver vehicle with a black dog. He told officers he knew Mayo and had seen Thompson two days before the shooting when Thompson fired gunshots into the air outside of his sister’s house to scare gamblers away.

MPD showed this witness a series of photos that matched the general description given by the other witness, and the witnessed picked out Thompson.

On Dec. 12, 2015, police pulled over Thompson, who was driving a 2007 Mercedes Benz, and told him they were seizing it for evidence in a shooting investigation.

When asked about the shooting, Thompson refused to talk to the police. When an officer told him that his neighbors believed him to be the shooter, he said “[T]he victim of the shooting was cruddy, a drug dealer, and a bad person,” according to the affidavit.

After police searched the Mercedes, they found three firearms. Among them were a Glock 30, a Taurus Public Defender revolver, and a Glock 26.

Scientists at the MPD’s Department of Forensic scientists concluded that based on the 9mm casings found at the scene of the crime, the Glock 26 found in Thompson’s car was used to fire at least one bullet.

An officer went through Thompson’s Facebook account and found a picture of him wielding a firearm, which appeared to be similar to a FN P90 submachine gun. This particular weapon is capable of firing 5.7×28 caliber rounds.

On Jan. 6, Thompson was charged with first-degree murder for Mayo’s death.

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